A Piece of Home
by Every.Star.That.Ever.Was
Summary: In Gale, the Doctor found a piece of home he never thought possible. In the Doctor, Gale found an entire identity she never new existed. Together, they find so much more. "No. No. This can't be happening." He breathed, "I've looked. I've looked for hundreds of years." (Time Lady! Developing 11th Doctor/OC)


**Piece Hello! I'd like to start by saying this is a story line I would have loved to seen if Matt Smith (11th Doctor) had continued on the show- as well as the Ponds. In this reality, the 11th Doctor and his companions Amy and Rory have continued on, as they would have, before the Angels Take Manhattan episode in season 7. This is where my plot line takes place and develops. None of the Doctor Who characters or concepts belong to me- and only the OCs are my own. I'm very, very, very excited about this story- and I've wanted to do it a long time. It isn't as if I'm not fond of the 12th Doctor and Clara, my heart just belongs to Matt, Karen, and Arthur. I've sincerely missed them- and this is how I'm filling in the gaps.**

 **Please, please, please, please review. I won't continue to write unless you guys like it! It is a developing 11th Doctor/OC romance, but it's a wildey new take on what we've normally seen. I'm trying ridiculously hard to keep all the characters as much.. well, in character, as I possibly can. Please review! If you like it- I would encourage it, because I'm counting on you guys to let me know if I should continue on. Thanks!**

 **(P.S- if I continue, I'll be filling in more details about Gale, as well as her friendship with the Ponds. I thought it would be interesting to start the story off here.)**

Chapter 1: Four Heart Beats

"Amy...I...there's something wrong with me. I can't keep it to myself any longer. I know for certain you'll think I'm mad. God knows, I might be...sometimes I'm sure I am, but what if this world is much more impossible than it might seem? What if my reality is someone else's reality? What if...what if there is help, understanding, or some kind of explanation for this mystery that's been the entirety of my life?"

The breath rushed out of me, I felt my eyes swell with tears, and there was a moment, a fleeting, horrifying, frightening moment, that I suspected I shouldn't have said anything. My entire existence had been dependant on my silence for all these years. What if I had ruined all that?

Then the pain came rushing back and I knew I didn't have a choice anymore.

"I have to know." I breathed, a single tear running down my face.

Amy's face was one of compassion. She put her hand's on my shoulders, drew me close, and whispered, "tell me everything."

It came out in a rush.

It started with, "I can't be human." When her face remained the same, I continued on. I explained how I had no idea who my parents were, but I knew I was raised by humans. They had lived and died many years ago now. I lived on, never aging after a certain point, always staying the same. Until one summer, about 4 years ago, when I got very ill.

"And I...changed. There was this light, and it was like I couldn't be hurt. My face, my body...everything. Everything changed. I was a different person."

Her eyes grew big then, but she began to ask questions. What was even more alarming, was that it was as if she knew the answers before I said them.

"Physically, are you the same? Or, I don't know, do you understand what I mean?" Amy asked.

"Not exactly, but I can tell you that my adoptive parents never took me to a doctor. Apparently they...wouldn't understand? They would assume something was wrong. It took me another 10 years to figure out that normal humans don't have two hearts, or a core temperature of 59 degrees celsius." I explained.

"So your parents knew that you were something different?" Her eyes were wide with excitement, and it was beginning to make me nervous. She didn't even comment on the two hearts thing, which I had expected to take more time explaining, as I suspected she wouldn't believe me.

"Yes, they must have known. They always said I was special, but they died very suddenly...before they could explain everything to me. They told me that they would, that they were waiting for the right time, but there was a car accident, and…" My voice broke.

Amy cut me off, "Oh, it's fine, sweetie. I understand. You don't have to talk about it. I do have a couple more questions though, simple ones."

I nodded my head.

"You've never met anyone else like you?"

"No."

"Is there anything else you can think of, anything at all?"

"I have unique mental abilities. It takes a lot of energy, and I can't do it all the time, but if I try very hard, I can read minds, or transfer memories. And...well...I can understand animals, and babies, and everything really."

A smile appeared on Amy's face. She jumped up from the couch with a fever and yelled, "RORY!"

This was definitely not the reaction I was expecting.

Rory rushed into the room, obviously used to being called by his enthusiastic wife. He looked at me and smiled, not aware that I had come over for a visit this afternoon.

"Well hello there, Gale. I didn't know you were joining us today!" He was as nice as ever, his eyes wide and welcoming. Rory and Amy had always been fantastic friends, so fantastic that I would say it had been the happiest 3 years I had spent since my parents died. I smiled at him, the tense and saddening emotions running out of my body. I was feeling more more relaxed than I had planned to be at this moment.

"Gale just told me something very interesting." Amy told him.

"Oh," Rory's eyebrows raised, looking at me quickly, interested in what had transpired between us two women.

"We need to call the Doctor." Amy said.

"Oh?" Rory was even more confused.

"Now."

"Oh!" Rory immediately left the room, Amy looking back at me to smile, and then following him. I had no idea what these two were up to, but I had a feeling they might have some way to help. There couldn't be many explanations for Amy's reaction to my news. Somehow, I knew she understood.

Amy was walking back into the room, the smile was still on her face as she sat down next to me, taking my hand into hers. Rory came into the room next, his face was now one of understanding, I immediately knew that Amy must have explained my situation to him. He sat down on my other side, resting his hand on my back. He smiled at me, they were both smiling at me, and I couldn't take the anticipation much longer. What was wrong with these people?

I opened my mouth to tell them this, but Amy interjected before I could utter one syllable, "The good new is we can help you. Actually, we know someone who can help you." She told me.

"I'm not sure I want anyone…" I began.

Rory cut me off this time, "No, you don't understand. You want his help more than anything." He said this very seriously, uttering every syllable with distinction. There were very few times I had ever seen Rory Pond so serious, which, because of, I inherently understood that I needed to listen.

"Okay…" I was still very unsure of what they were telling me. I suspected it had something to do with the fact that they were telling me very little.

"We just don't know when he's going to be here." Amy explained, a sigh in her voice.

"That's a recurring issue." Rory said, exasperation tainted his tone.

"I told him it was the most important thing he's ever come across," Amy said to Rory, who was looking across me into his wife's face.

He leaned over me, "yes, but it could be years before…"

"SHHH," she cut him off, annoyance in her tone. She quickly looked at me, then back to her husband, "we don't need to be confusing her even-."

"But, the man is ridiculous! He has no concept of time, which is surprising because he's a bloody Time-"

"HEY, stupid face!" She pointedly looks at me again.

"Sorry," he mumbled, looking at the ceiling in annoyance.

There was an awkward silence, one that only comes when everyone involved in a conversation has nothing to add, because they know if they do, there is a 50% chance it is exactly the wrong thing to say. I knew it was not the time to question them, as it was obvious they would be telling me nothing helpful.

"Oh bloody hell, let's just tell her-" Amy was suddenly cut off by a rumbling, whining, and rustic like noise. Something I had never heard before in my entire life. It was obviously an engine, but it was speaking, with a deep, wheezing sound. It was almost like it was struggling to stop, to make the entrance it so deserved. Beneath the confusion, I felt my hearts swell. Something inside me recognized the abnormal sound, something inside me felt hope.

Amy and Rory jumped up simultaneously. She ran to the window, smiling as she looked back at the two of us.

"Hes here," she exclaimed while running to the door, a smile encompassing her beautiful face. She threw it open enthusiastically, revealing a man who couldn't have been more than 27.

He stood in the door, looking like something out of a classic movie. Amy laughed happily as he said, "permission to hug?"

She jumped into his arms, he twirled her around, both of them laughing happily. Rory walked over then, hugging the man with less vigor than Amy, but also looking genuinely happy to see him.

"The one and only centurion. How are my Ponds? I don't exactly know how long it's been for you.." He began, but Amy cut him off with a hit to his arm. "Ouch!" He exclaimed.

"Three years." She said, but neither of them seemed honestly upset with the other. He walked into the house with ease, like he had done it a million times and felt as comfortable there as he might feel in his own home. I had the feeling that he felt that way wherever he went.

He stopped suddenly, looked directly at me, an expression of confusion and disbelief taking over his face. He looked at the Ponds quickly, "Is she? She can't be."

There were too many emotions on his face to count. I had no idea what to say, nothing could come out of my mouth. The way he was looking at me made me feel like he knew exactly who and what I was, yet he said nothing. He only walked closer, getting right in front of my face, looking deeply into my eyes for what felt like an eternity.

Finally, "no. It's not possible." He whispered, his breath hitting my face. His eyes traveled my body, taking in every inch.

"It can't be possible."

"Doctor, she told us, she explained-" Amy tried.

"No. No. This can't be happening." He breathed, "I've looked. I've looked for hundreds of years."

"She wasn't there, Doctor. She wasn't on Gallif-"

"What is your name?" the man asked me, still mere inches from my face.

"Gale." I whispered, looking into this eyes, not sure how to handle the situation put in front of me.

"Your full name."

"Gale Freya Cohen."

"Gale...Freya? Are you lying to me?"

"Doctor, why would she-" Amy started and failed.

"DO NOT INTERFERE," he turned to yell at Amy. "This is important, more important than anything has ever been." He had gotten suddenly angry, but ended his sentence softer, with more feeling than he started. He was looking at me again, the emotion on his face startling. It was hard to speak.

"I'm not lying. It was the name given to me by my parents. My adoptive parents."

"How old are you?"

"403. I'm 403 years old." The words, barely even a whisper, left my lips with hesitation. I had never spoken something so private, so hidden, in my life.

"That would have made you an infant when…" His eyes grew softer, a sense of appreciation and understanding took over his expression. She sensed he was starting to believe her. Though she was utterly and completely confused.

He turned to look at the Ponds, opened his mouth to speak, but then turned quickly back towards me, unable to make up his mind about his next move.

Suddenly he was grabbing me, putting his head to my chest without permission, and listening with vigor.

"Two heart beats," he breathed.

"YES!" I exclaimed, suddenly annoyed that he was taking so much liberty, while also questioning my authenticity. I jumped backwards from him, giving myself some distance from the man that had made it very clear he knew what I was.

"Yes. I have two heart beats. Two hearts. My temperature is always nearly 59 degrees celsius, and I have respiratory abilities unlike any other person I've met in my entire life. I would know, because a man strangled me when I was nearly still a child- all because he wanted what little money I had in my pocket. I should have died. Anyone else would have died. Not to mention I can hear and understand cats, dogs, and anything that has a language other than my own. I once accidentally collided heads with a child at school and he could then explain to me, in detail, everything I did the day before with my parents. I'm 403 years old. I've lived long enough to watch everyone in my life grow old and die. Everyone I've ever loved, ever cared for. I've moved from continent to continent, changed my name, started new lives in hundreds of places, and called none of them home. It isn't long before people realize you don't only have marvelous genes, but your aren't even aging at all. And then my face changed. My body changed. My personality changed. I thanked the universe, because I thought I was finally dying, but in the end, I got something much worse than that. I've lived my whole life alone. With no one to show me where I come from. I long for a family, a home, a civilization that I've never been to, one I'm not sure even existed...or has ever existed. Can you understand any of that? And if you can, would you please back the hell off."

They were all staring at me. I must have been quite the sight: tears running down my face and emotions pouring off of me in waves. I dropped my hands at my sides, exhausted from the explanation of my lonely life. Amy looked impressed, as did her silent husband, who also looked as if he were hurting for me. The Doctor, on the other hand, was studying me, a look of hope so strong in his eyes that he could have light a candle with the light coming from them. He absolutely shined.

"Hello, Gale Freya Cohen. I'm The Doctor. I'm a 1,200 year old Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey, and it is my absolute pleasure, my absolute honor to make your acquaintance." He stuck out his hand, moving to take mine in his own. We shook, but I was still waiting for confirmation of what I thought he was trying to say.

I remained silent.

"And it is my honor, Gale, because you too are a Time Lord. You too are from the planet Gallifrey." This time he enveloped me in a hug. He grabbed me, wrapping his arms around my body tightly, before stepping back and keeping his hands on my shoulders when I didn't return the embrace. He studied my face carefully, taking in what he must have understood was a catatonic reaction. I was in shock to say the least, this man had just told me I wasn't from the planet I've lived on my whole life. Not to mention other plants with intelligent life forms actually do exist out there somewhere.

"So you're telling me you're an alien then?"

"Yes." He said carefully, obviously concerned by my state of mind and facial expression.

"And so am I?" I whispered, looking into his eyes and feeling quite light headed.

"Yes. That is what I'm saying." He crumpled his body to my level, continuing to keep his hands on my shoulders, never letting his eyes leave mine. "Are you okay, Gale?"

My body felt entirely too limp. The Doctor was struggling to hold me up.

"No, actually, I'm ...I might...not...Doctor-"

And the world suddenly went blank.

 **Well! That's a wrap my friends! Please reference above and give me a quick review. I will definitely keep writing if you guys ask for it :) I have absolutely great ideas that I'm excited to start on!**

 **Always,**

 **Kate**


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